Alexandria's Story

Alexandria, Age 9

Hi my name is Alexandria. I'm 9 years old and have UC. I've had it since I was 3 years old. This year I've had it get worse. I've missed a lot of school. Sometimes at school I have bad headaches and I want to lay my head on the desk, but I don't want everyone looking at me and I don't want to miss what the teacher is saying.

At night I lack sleep because I have to run to the bathroom a lot. I have accidents every time I have to go at night. Sometimes I have accidents at school. I'm scared that someone will ask me why I leave to go to the bathroom so much. Once my teacher forgot to tell our substitute to let me go to the bathroom when I needed to. I thought I would have an accident, but my teacher came back just in time.

I can't eat pizza or ice cream or other food like my friends. I'm on a special diet. Birthday parties are not so fun. I have to drink 8 ounces of this gross tea! Three times a day!

I have to take a lot of medication. It doesn't stop my UC. Sometimes I think about dying. My mom tells me about the bad things that can happen to me so I'll drink the tea and take my medication, but the medication does bad things to me too! I know there isn't a cure for my disease, but my mom tells me they'll have one someday.

Please try to raise more money for research to help people like me and others with IBD.

Thank you,
Alexandria